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Yay for “Dr. Strangelove” winning best film, best director and best supporting actor in 1964. Yay for Jitsuko Toshimura winning best supporting actress in “Onibaba” in 1964. Yay for “7 Up” winning best short.
I vote “Red Beard” for best film in 1965.
I vote Akira Kurosawa for best director (“Red Beard”) in 1965.
I vote Toshiro Mifune for best actor in “Red Beard” in 1965.
I vote Anna Karina for best actress in “Pierrot le fou” in 1965
I vote Yoshitaka Zushi for best supporting actor in “Red Beard” in 1965.
I vote Ruriko Asaoka for best supporting actress in “A Story Written in Water” in 1965.
I vote “Pierrot le fou” for best cinematography in 1965.
I vote “Invasion of Monster Zero” for best score in 1965.
I vote “The Dot and the Line” for best short in 1965.

Nothing this year I feel particularly passionate about, but here goes:

Best Picture: The Hill
Best Director: Godard
Best Actor: Von Sydow — Greatest Story is a somewhat guilty pleasure of mine, but as my favorite Jesus Max makes me feel less guilty about it.
Best Actress: Deneuve
Supporting Actor: The Hill has an awesome ensemble and of that group I’ll take Harry Andrews. My off-the-grid runner-up is Lee Van Cleef for Few Dollars More.
Supporting Actress: Kagawa
Cinematography: Coutard, Pierrot le Fou
Score: Guaraldi.

Best Picture: The Round-Up
Best Director: Miklos Jansco (The Round-Up)
Best Actor: Richard Burton (The Spy Who Came in from the Cold)
Best Actress: Ida Kaminska (The Shop on Main Street)
Best Supporting Actor: John Gielgud (Chimes at Midnight)
Best Supporting Actress: Kyoko Kagawa (Red Beard)
Best Short: The Hand
Best Cinematography: Freddie Young (Dr. Zhivago)
Best Score: Henry Mancini (The Great Race)

Besides my top film, several others are masterful: BLACK GIRL, CHIMES AT MIDNIGHT, FISTS IN THE POCKET, INTIMATE LIGHTING, LOVES OF A BLONDE, THE SOUND OF MUSIC, JULIET OF THE SPIRITS, PIERROT LE FOU, RED BEARD, DR. ZHIVAGO, REPULSION, SIMON OF THE DESERT, THE SARAGOSSA MANUSCRIPT, DARLING, THE SHOP ON MAIN STREET, ALPHAVILLE

I hadn’t realized that CHARLIE BROWN’S CHRISTMAS was on the list of shorts until this morning, (it wasn’t originally) and likewise the admittedly magnificent score was added. Again, scores from shorts were not part of the founding equation. But there is no question it wins this year, and Joel is right to name it among the greatest of scores. I erred here, and I am red faced.

Wow, I forgot Michael Apted didn’t actually direct 7 Up. Now after all the back & forth, hemming & hawing, I’m wondering if I shouldn’t have waited for another year to pick my token Up. Oh well, what’s done is done…

(Speaking of the Up series, anyone in NYC should try to catch 56 Up at the NY DOC festival tomorrow although I’m guessing if you don’t already have tickets it’s too late…)

Actor: Orson Welles, Chimes at Midnight
Actress: Catherine Deneuve, Repulsion (but man, I think this means Anna Karina’s never gonna get one now from me – Pierrot was her best shot. I could tie but I’ve cheated enough times. Well, hopefully I can squeak her in for Made In USA next year. We’ll see.)

*Side note to Allan: you should add Mbissine Thérèse Diop to the list for Black Girl.

If I could take one screen siren from all the movies ever made, I’d be tempted to take, from the underrated Fists in the Pocket, the extremely underrated, gorgeous, and vital Pitagora.

I can’t believe she’s not nominated (and that I didn’t notice/mention it when emailing Allan with another suggestion!) especially given the weak& thin supporting ballots this week (Peggy Wood in Sound of Music? Is she one of the nuns, of the kids? The first fiancee – was there a first fiancee? Can’t say I remember can’t say I care! Pitagora will be my cause célèbre this week…)

Cinematography: Miroslav Ondricek, Loves of a Blonde (gorgeous as Juliet is, I’m going with the raw, nervy, half-doc and entirely brilliant lensing of the Czech master)

Yeah, can’t wait to see it. I got to watch 49 Up at the NYFF in ’06 and to shake Tony’s hand (he’s a really little guy which isn’t surprising when you remember he was a jockey, but somehow in the films you don’t notice it as much).

As always, those titles/performances (other than the winners) in all-caps are ones not included in Allan’s estimable collection:

PICTURE: REPULSION (followed by The Hill, War and Peace, The Knack and How to Get It, The War Game, Pierrot Le Fou, The Loved One, THE FLIGHT OF THE PHOENIX, Alphaville, It Happened Here, Doctor Zhivago, Loves of a Blonde, The Sound of Music, Intimate Lightning, SHAKESPEARE WALLAH, MICKEY ONE, The Round-Up, OTHELLO, The Shop on Main Street, The Collector, HELP!, The Ipcress File, Faster Pussycat Kill Kill, RIDE IN THE WHIRLWIND, A PATCH OF BLUE, THE NANNY, For a Few Dollars More, THUNDERBALL, The Bedford Incident, Ship of Fools, Tokyo Olympiad, Juliet of the Spirits, Darling, Bunny Lake is Missing)

ACTOR: Sean Connery, THE HILL (2nd: Orson Welles, Chimes at Midnight, followed by Laurence Olivier, Othello; JAMES STEWART, THE FLIGHT OF THE PHOENIX; Richard Burton, The Spy Who Came in From the Cold; WARREN BEATTY, MICKEY ONE)

ACTRESS: Catherine Deneuve, REPULSION (2nd: Ida Kaminska, The Shop on Main Street, followed by Julie Andrews, The Sound of Music; Samantha Eggar, The Collector; Giulietta Masina, Juliet of the Spirits; Elizabeth Hartman, A Patch of Blue)

Best Picture: Pierrot le Fou
Best Director: Jean-Luc Godard (Pierrot le Fou)
Best Actor: Richard Burton (The Spy Who Came in from the Cold)
Best Actress: Catherine Deneuve (Repulsion)
Best Supporting Actor: John Gielgud (Chimes at Midnight)
Best Supporting Actress: Vivien Leigh (Ship of Fools)
Best Cinematography: Raoul Coutard (Pierrot le Fou)
Best Score: Henry Mancini (The Great Race)

PICTURE: CHIMES AT MIDNIGHT
Top 5: 1. Chimes at Midnight 2. Repulsion 3. The Round Up 4. The Sound of Music 5. Alphaville
In any other year a film like REPULSION would make mince meat out of the competition. However, Welles final triumph also stands as one of his three greatest films (along with KANE and THE MAGNIFICENT AMBERSONS). It’s intimacy hints at a larger scope that is perfectly presented in the wonderful moments of dialogue. A haunting and unforgettable film that may very well be the greatest adaption of the immortal Bard that I, personally, have ever seen.

DIRECTOR: Orson WELLES (CHIMES AT MIDNIGHT)
Runner Up: Roman Polanski (Repulsion)
The simplicity of Welles direction speaks volumes about the kind of wordy drama that really turned him on and his camera excentuates every great verbal moment by utilizing frightening close ups that linger far longer to make the points on despair and betrayal and the dashing of loyalty ring home. Polanski comes within a hair of taking it for the clausterphobic tightening of the room engulfing Deneuve in REPULSION

LEAD ACTOR: Orson WELLES (CHIMES AT MIDNIGHT)
Runner Up: Micheal Caine (The Ipcress Files)
This is NO contest and so obvious for me. A titanic performance in every way and it reminds me why Welles was so loved on the radio. It’s a big, bawdy, showy turn that also allows quiet, personal reflections on life and, eventually, death and betrayal. I would be hard pressed to say which Welles performance is best of the big three (KANE, TOUCH OF EVIL or CHIMES), but CHIMES is my PERSONAL favorite of the bunch. Only the nervy cool that is Micheal Caine in The Ipcress Files could make me, momentarily, turn my head from Welles. The Ipcress Files made me understand how cool, stylish and real Caine can be.

LEAD ACTRESS: Catherine DENEUVE (REPULSION)
Runner Up: Julie Christie (Darling)
While Julie Christie is my second choice, make no bones about it, I think her turn is miles BEHIND the extraordinary breakthrough performance by the ravishingly beautiful Deneuve. Proving she was far more than just a pretty face seen on the covers of fashion magazines (and one of the first, true, supermodels), he performance for Polanski’s twisted chiller of the mind lost in madness is enough to leave your stomach aching for weeks on end. One of the greatest performances of the 60’s. Period.

SUPP. ACTOR: John GIELGUD (CHIMES AT MIDNIGHT)
Runner Up: Tom Courtenay (Doctor Zhivago)
That Welles was able to share the screen with THE master (at the time) of the Bard on stage is amazing enough. That Gielgud delivers a performance of superlative perfection is no surprize at all. He ate, drank, slept and excreted Shakespeare.

SUPP. ACTRESS: Shelly WINTERS (A PATCH OF BLUE)
Runner Up: Kyoko Kagawa (Redbeard)
The hysterical nature of Winters in this film catapulted it from B graded meloldrama into something very special and her innocuous turn as a self centered woman uncaring of things only until they DIRECTLY affect HER reminds us of how great a character actress she really was. A far cry from her chubby and doomed Mrs. Rosen in THE POSEIDON ADVENTURE.

PHOTO: Freddie YOUNG (DOCTOR ZHIVAGO)
Runner Up. Willian C. Melor (The Greatest Story Ever Told)
Hard choice considering the beauty of the color work on both these films. The etheral presence of THE GREAT STORY EVER TOLD allows us to believe in the devine but its trumped by Youngs visual splendor in things as simple as snow and icicles that turn into a wonderland of beauty in ZHIVAGO.

MUSIC: Maurice JARRE (DOCTOR ZHIVAGO)
Runner Up: Jerry Goldsmith (A Patch of Blue)
No brainer here and, as with Deneuve in the Lead Actress category, Jarre’s epic but intimately romantic score for ZHIVAGO is miles ahead of the competition. I love DOCTOR ZHIVAGO as a film and a film experience but you know the music is great when you’re willing to state it’s the best thing in one of the best films of a particular year. “Lara’s Theme” can sweep you off your feet as it balances an ethnic flavor with rushes of full bodied romance.

Best Picture: The Shop on Main Street
Best Director: Luis Bunuel (Simon of the Desert)
Best Actor: Sean Connery (The Hill)
Best Actress: Ida Kaminska (The Shop on Main Street)
Best Short: A Charlie Brown Christmas
Best Supporting Actor: John Gielgud (Chimes at Midnight)
Best Supporting Actress: Shelley Winters (A Patch of Blue)
Best Cinematography: Freddie Young (Doctor Zhivago)
Best Score: Vince Guaraldi (A Charlie Brown Christmas)

Jon, Allan added the Guaraldi score after I emailed him with a reminder. While the shorts and features are segregated from one another in the overall category, I don’t see why they shouldn’t overlap in the other categories. After all (as we both agree) A Charlie Brown Christmas has the best score of the year (just as, in my estimation, Farrokhzad was the best director of ’63 for The House is Black, feature or short regardless) so why shouldn’t it get a shot at the title? The only other option would be to have two split categories for every topic, short & feature, which would get unwieldy.

Incidentally, since it’s your pick for the year, you should write up Black Girl on your blog. African cinema doesn’t seem to get discussed very often, and especially since I just saw this one a month or two ago, I’d love to hear more of your opinion.

Best Picture: Alphaville
Best Director: Jean-Luc Godard (Alphaville)
Best Actor: Richard Burton (The Spy…..)
Best Actress: Julie Christie (Darling)
Best Short: The Dot and the Line
Best Supporting Actor: Rod Steiger (Doctor Zhivago)
Best Supporting Actress: Joan Blondell (The Cincinnati Kid)
Best Cinematography: Frederick A. Young (Doctor Zhivago)
Best Score: Jerome Moross (The War Lord)

I should do that and would need a re-viewing. I think that film is devastating and is tremendous. I knew that it wasn’t going to get enough votes to win, but for me it stands above and stands out from the other films this year. I actually find 1965 to be kind of ho-hum overall. Chimes at Midnight is pretty awesome too, but I’ve voted for Welles other times.

I’ve seen fewer of the films listed in 1965 than in most years but even so I still think it a poor year overall (of those seen) but here goes anyway:
Film: CHIMES AT MIDNIGHT
Director: Sidney Lumet for THE HILL
Actor: Oscar Werner for SHIP OF FOOLS
Actress: Julie Christie for DARLING
Supporting Actor: Harry Andrews for THE HILL
Supporting Actress: Joan Blondell for THE CINCINATTI KID
Cinematography: Freddie Young for DOCTOR ZHIVAGO
Score: Nino Rota for JULIET OF THE SPIRITS
Short: WHOLLY COMMUNION.

Top 10:
1. Repulsion
2. Subarnarekha (The Golden Thread)
3. Loves of a Blonde
4. Akash Kusum (dir. Mrinal Sen)
5. Kapurush (The Coward, dir. Satyajit Ray)
6. For A Few Dollars More
7. The Shop on the Main Street
8. The Sound of Music
9. Pierrot Le Fou
10. The Round-Up

Best Picture: The War Lord
Best Director: Godard, Pierrot le Fou
Best Actor: Belmondo, Pierrot le Fou
Best Actress: Denuevre, Repulsion
Best Supporting Actor: Bannen, The Hill
Best Supporting Actress: Pitagura (Fists in the Ocket)
Best Cinematography: Dr. Zhivago
Best Score: Juliet of the Spirits
Best Short: no vote

Just added Skaterdater, the first skate film ever, to the short films category. Next year will be pretty skimpy (I’m having trouble coming up with a full dozen at the moment) but after this year’s buffet it will be a much-needed respite. Haven’t watched any of these yet, so it looks like there’ll be a mini-marathon for me tonight before I vote tomorrow!

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Wonders in the Dark is a blog dedicated to the arts, especially film, theatre and music. An open forum is highly encouraged, as the site proctors are usually ready and able to engage with ongoing conversation.